Enemy x Of x Hunters
by Bakuretsu-Shio
Summary: He is a child filled with hate, and he's an applicant for the 286th Hunter Exam. He does not trust, nor does he smile. To him, everyone is an enemy. His name is Pasche, and he has a goal in mind that may or may not be a threat to the Hunter Association... (NO PAIRINGS)
1. Running Late

Life has unpredictable turns that truthfully, we cannot foretell when will happen. Unless that is, you were given the power to read the future. But without such ability the road ahead is shrouded in complete darkness, a void that very slowly reveals itself with every step you take along the way. You have no idea when it will end, and where the path will suddenly turn. But is that turn for better or worse? Well, it depends on how you deal with it. If it's bad enough, you just have to suck it up and keep walking. That's how everything works, right?

Once you take a path, you can't turn back.

"-Young man?" A voice rang in his ears, "Young man? Hello?"

A short fused grumble erupted from his throat, and the young boy tiredly opened his eyes to the form towering over him. His navigator stood by, idly awaiting for the child to wake from his slumber. They had left in the early morning to get a head start for the exam site, but the one following found his limits to being awake short. Therefore they stopped and the navigator patiently allowed his follower to sleep. However, time was now of the essence for one of them.

"…How long has it been?" The examinee gathered his single strap bag and stood up, slouching against the tree that had been his support in the last few hours.

"Ah… A couple of hours. I'm sorry I should have woken you soone-"

"_What!?"_ He instantly shouted at him and made the escort step back. "You fool! The exam starts soon!"

"M-My apologies! I'll take you to the site right away!" The older male bowed.

"Of course you will because that's your damn job! Hurry up!"

With barely time to spare, they left the resting spot and were on their way to the Hunter Exam. To be specific, it was the 286th Hunter Exam. Each location changed every year, which made the trip all the more bothersome to get to – or so it was thought by a certain impatient boy who couldn't keep his anger in check. This individual was a mere 12 year old boy from NGL, better yet known as Neo-Green Life. Though because of numerous circumstances his life moved to Zaban City when he was young, and that is where it all began.

He strode through the crowd, cussing under his breath as he pushed a nearby person out of the way. When they tried to lecture the boy for his attitude, he uncaringly ignored them and continued to follow the other. His short, spiky red maroon hair brushed against his forehead as the temperature appeared to intensify and grew warmer. Smooth, somewhat pale skin glistened in the sun, but a noticeable scar curving under his left eye grabbed the unwanted attention of some people. It made him clench his teeth and glare at them with a threatening look – fortunately it worked on his end. The only noticeable piece of jewellery on him was a single three piece earring on his left ear with the bottom revealing a beautiful sapphire gem inside. And his eyes – as he was told by many – stood out the most. They were a dazzling ocean blue that showed strong determination and will, but also deep, unfathomable hate.

The child's appearance was quite normal, though naturally unexpected for a former resident of NGL. He wore a dull light purple turtle-neck hoodie with short sleeves that stopped right above his elbows, and dirt brown shorts that went down to his knees. Under the short sleeved jacket was a simple black shirt in case he got dehydrated. His arms were completely covered in bandages showing not an ounce of skin underneath, and his toeless boots were aqua and black in colour.

"Are we there yet?" The maroon headed child questioned with seething anger.

No doubt he had a grudge against the escort now.

"It's up ahead." The navigator replied, hesitant in his response. He wished he didn't have to deal with such a petulant being, but it was part of his job to simply lead examinees to the site despite their attitudes.

Zaban City was as energetic as ever, ignoring its dark history with serial murderers; one being the infamous Johness the Dissector. The streets were filled with joyous individuals and streets lined with markets selling trinkets and valuables alike. Even now and then one could hear the faint sounds of instruments playing a rhythmic tune in the distance, but the source was left unknown. Zaban City was peaceful, and as well the starting location of the renowned Hunter Exam.

The two figures came to a stop in front of a book store named 'Token Books', where the young examinee noted it looked completely desolated around and inside it. The place in question appeared run down and barely standing on its own two feet. However by closer inspection the structure was actually quite resilient due to the cross wood boarding in which it was built upon. He had a liking for buildings, and admired the craftsmanship that many others never took notice of; it was a shame really, that their efforts went unlooked by humanity. The escort opened the door and stepped inside, holding it wide for his follower while he strode in with a short huff.

"Good morning. Is there something I can help you with?" The old store owner sat behind the register at the back of the store, a wide smile on his wrinkled face.

"Yes. I'm looking for a book called 'The Face of Finalities'."

This captured the attention of the owner, and he narrowed his eyes with a following question, "Which edition do you seek?"

"The classic with a mended beginning."

A smile broadened towards them, and the store owner pointed his thumb over his shoulder, "You can find it in the back."

"Thank you." The navigator bowed his head in respect, turned his head to the examinee and began walking to the back of the store. He opened the door and led the other into a hallway, coming all the way to the end door with a red cross on it.

The hallway was done up particularly different to the building's exterior, with lush red carpet at their feet and creamed coloured walls on both sides. Two doors were lined on both their left and right, leading to unknown locations. However the latter of the duo found himself disinterested with their secrets and quietly followed along after his guide. He simply hoped he wasn't too late for the exam, otherwise it would have been another year wasted on training and a goal unsuccessful.

As the child walked into the last room, he rotated his body and found his temporary companion towards the entrance with a gentle smile and hazelnut eyes meeting his own magnificent blue. The escort fixed his cloak and bowed to him with his arms by his side.

"I wish you good luck in the Hunter Exam… Pasche."

* * *

**Hey there everyone! Another fic, another story to tell. **

**So as you can tell this is going to be telling about the 286th Hunter exam, a year before canon where Gon and his friends take it. This will be following my OC Pasche in his adventure to become a Hunter and fulfil his goals.**

**~I'm in need of some OC's for the upcoming phases of the exam!~**

**You simply need to tell me the basics of your OC, their abilities if they have any yet, personality and strengths and weaknesses. Although they will only be supporting characters throughout it and some may not pass… or even survive. **


	2. Let's begin!

How long would he have to wait now?

Pasche kept his body leaned against the back wall of the elevator, arms crossed and head lowered in deep thought. That good for nothing navigator may have lost him his place in the renowned Hunter Exam. He couldn't waste any more attempts for the test, or wretchedly fail like he had the previous year. Because of his reckless behaviour it had cost him the second phase in the 285th exam, and he'd made sure to think things through now despite being under constant stress in the situation.

The motion of the elevator stopped, and Pasche opened his eyes as the doors slowly released to expose the new terrain he was now entering. He walked forward and entered the very large area, turning his head to examine his newfound surroundings. But before he could take it in, someone approached him.

"Hello! Congratulations on reaching the Hunter Exam." It was a short male wearing a navy blue tuxedo, and he raised his arm, holding out a white badge to the examinee.

On the badge read the number #512.

"Please keep this on you at all times." He smiled, stepping back and allowing him to continue.

Pasche glanced at the badge in his hand, and turned away with irritation. He saw that same little runt last year, and he seemed smugger knowing that he was taking the test again. Just seeing that tiny face of his made the red head want to punch it in. But this time he had to compose himself no matter what they said. He was capable of it, right? It was easy to keep his emotions at a down-low… right? After placing the badge on the right side of his chest, Pasche then decided he would take a look at their starting location.

If it weren't for the dull lighting in the gigantic underground 'room' as some of the examinees described, they would have been surrounded in a complete abyss of darkness. However the light radiated enough to show there was a mechanical door sealing off more of the supposed lair they had ventured into from the elevator. There was no examiner in sight as of yet, meaning he had time to spare before the start of the Hunter Exam. Although waiting was not considered one of his strengths, he was secretly thankful as well for his navigator allowing him to sleep longer than expected.

When Pasche gazed at the loitering examinees around him, he noticed quite a few familiar faces. That annoyingly fat man who called himself Tonpa was one of those few. He'd tried the previous year to give him a drink for welcoming sakes, but he didn't accept it despite his eagerness to give it away. There were many new faces however he'd never seen before. A trio of teenagers who looked obnoxious compared to others, a strange clown with red hair lighter and more vibrant than his, and a supposed aged martial artist with long silver hair. The list could go on, but he swiftly lost interest in them. There would be chances to find out more about the rookies later, during the actual exam.

Tonpa stopped just metres away from Pasche, gritting his teeth as he recalled meeting him last year. It hadn't ended well in their meeting, and he held a deep grudge towards the brat and his shitty attitude towards everyone he saw.

Suddenly a bell rang throughout the wide space and everyone's attention snapped to a new face among the crowd whom stood directly in front of them all. A woman with long brown hair and golden eyes stood with a bell in her raised hand. She was average height, wearing a red choker around her neck and a dark green shirt with long sleeves going passed her wrists and concealing most of both her hands. The bottom of it was tucked into a black skirt that went to her knees, and she wore black ballet flats on her feet. A pleasant smile dwelled on her features, and she tilted her head as she began to speak to the crowd who had now directed their attention to the stranger.

"All examinees have now arrived. Without further ado, we'll begin the Hunter Exam!" She spoke with enthusiasm, looking forward to the trial ahead of them.

"My name is Bokke, and I'll be your examiner for the first phase."

Every year, the Hunter Exam phases change with its location, therefore all of them could only guess what they would be tested on. Strength, wits, endurance; the possibilities were endless, but no one stressed on those infinite ideas. All they could do was walk forward and hope for the best. Whether they would survive this exam or not however, was entirely their choice. They had to push their selves and pass or die trying in the process. At least that's how some participants saw it. The last exam had let him off easy though, so that he could try once more to become a Hunter.

Five hundred and fifteen people total had reached the exam site, only three more had come in after him and Pasche was glad he hadn't been the last. It would have been an embarrassment to himself considering he'd already gone through the trials to find an escort before. The very reminder made him grit his teeth, but he left it alone. He had better things to focus on now, like this irritatingly light-hearted woman acting as if it were the most exciting day of her life.

A sudden blinding light filled the large area, and Pasche flinched at the white clouding his vision. Bringing up an arm to cover his eyes, he waited a few moments before reopening them. When he looked back to the location of the examiner Bokke, the woman no longer stood there. She had completely disappeared from everyone's line of sight, and an echoing giggle resonated through the room. The voice following turned out to be Bokke's, but still there was no found presence of her remaining there. What a cheap trick for them to use…

"Hide and Seek. Find me in the next two hours, darlings!"

And like that, the voice was gone.

Was this a joke? It couldn't have been. They didn't play around with the Hunter Exam, so it must have been the childish personality alone of that woman. But knowing this, Pasche wasn't so sure he wanted to find the examiner. To deal with such a child would be beyond troublesome, and he'd lose his patience just listening to her constant giggles.

"Seriously?" A female called out, hands on her hips and a firm pout on her face.

"This isn't a game. What is that examiner thinking?"

Pasche turned his head, seeing the girl. She had black hair reaching down her spine and odd placements of silver hair running on the sides of her head and middle fringe. He wasn't the only one who was unable to take this knowledge seriously, but they had no choice. Ignoring the complaints from numerous other candidates, the red head walked through the crowd and up to the front where most had gathered at the steel door. As if on cue, the creaking of old metal came from the door, and slowly it began to open inch by inch. Indeed he was right about the placement of that door. But the phase conditions had him thinking. Find the examiner within two hours; nothing else.

'_There must be more to it than simply finding her.' _Pasche dipped his head in thought, glaring daggers at the sight of the room expanding behind the door as it lifted to the ceiling. What many saw ahead was the complete opposite of their own ideas. Nothing was visible in the expansion. It was covered in a complete void of blackness, before bursts of light lit up the area from both sides.

A maze. Very large at that… it spread an estimated seven hundred yards from corner to corner, and Pasche could only look at it in slight surprise. Many gaped their mouths and yelled out in frustration to the trial ahead. Others grinned with overwhelming smug, and many more boasted that it would be no problem for them. The fools had little idea of what would happen though, and it brought a smirk to Pasche's face. He wouldn't even need to beat them down, since the exam would do the job for him. It had been five minutes since Bokke disappeared, so Pasche gathered the phase had already begun without their notice.

'_A maze… could she be waiting at the end of it? Or is she hiding in there? Or maybe the maze has absolutely nothing to do with it.'_

The boy pondered on the prospects of the phase, but shook his head and noticed other examinees had strode into the maze and begun their ascension to finish in a time record. They hadn't even thought twice about it... the fools. They were going to end up dead at this point already.

Distant mumbles hit Pasche's ears, and he could tell there were many thinking ahead about the maze like he was. That included the ignorant man Tonpa, and the trio of males that the boy assumed were all siblings. Even that tall clown was among the crowd staying behind to think it through. But something about him… it now sent constant shivers down his spine. A constant smile spread from cheek to cheek, and his piercing gold eyes could skewer an unsuspecting victim through their chest. And what the hell did he have face paint for, with a star under his right eye and a tear under the other?

But then, as if he knew the child had been watching, directed his golden gaze and met sky blue.

Immediately Pasche averted his stare to the maze, swallowing down a nervous lump building up in his throat. That was someone he didn't want to mess with. He made a mental note not to approach or speak to him, but there was the chance they would have to during the exam. To keep those thoughts from wandering, he decided it was time to move ahead and find the examiner Bokke.

Let the game of hide and seek begin.

* * *

**It's that time everyone! The exam has begun!**

**I wonder how Pasche will get through this! Will he fail? Will he pass? Who's going to die?**

**Feel free to send in applicants for your OC(s) whom you want to be a part of the hunter exam. I just need to know their name, age, looks, personalities, strengths and weaknesses - the whole sha-bang!**

**Reviews would be awesome! See ya next chapter. :)**


	3. First Phase (Part 1)

'_This maze is only a cover for the real test.'_

Pasche had travelled into the extension of the tunnel where the large maze was located, revealed shortly after the disappearance of their examiner for the first phase. It must have been at least nearly half the size of Zaban City, and that alone was extremely impressive for the Hunter Association to achieve. It made others wonder just how long it had been there for; days, months, years… it was kept in good condition despite its less than occasional uses. The lights lined against the walls only revealed about 4 hundred metres into the maze, and the rest of it was shrouded in complete darkness. That was likely where their examiner by the name of Bokke was hiding – but then again that could have been a misgiving ruse to make numerous examees fail. Within the black void could have been harbingers of death, or pitfalls with spikes. They were classic methods, but always effective against those with incorrect judgment. However that wasn't the case that stopped the young boy from continuing on his selected path.

A large metallic orange door, different from the navy walls around him blocked his path on several trails, and Pasche concluded they were everywhere throughout the maze. From the frustrated growls of anger echoing in many directions he assumed many other came in contact with them as well. They appeared to be having the same problem as him, with no way of getting through.

"Find the weak point and you may pass." A deep voice resonated from the door, catching Pasche's attention immediately.

"What the hell…"

"Find the weakest point." It repeated, and then went silent.

Pasche turned around to see if he had been followed, but it seemed he was alone and other applicants had taken routes different to his. It was still better that way, since he worked alone and found the constant presence of others more annoying than helpful. They would only cause trouble for him, and he could only trust himself. That's the way it had always been, and always will be. The very idea of someone joining made an impatient hiss escape his lips. But upon noticing how much time he was wasting, he whipped around back to the door and tried to find the its weak point like it told him to. Though that was easier said than done. Where was he supposed to start?

A weak spot was the flawed point in an object or person, which upon impact crumbled with no defence against an attack. But the door itself seemed flawless in its features with no dentures of scratches – was it even possible to have weak spot? No, everything did no matter what it was, human or inanimate. Pasche scanned its surface to find even the tiniest of cracks of deterioration, anything that might have been of use to him in this challenge. Then finally, he found it. The door's weakest point was clear within his sight.

A light draft wisped through the tiniest of cracks on the surface of the door. The illuminating light around the maze made it barely visible, but with Pasche's keen observational eyes on infrastructure he saw through it with ease. A confident smirk spread across his lips and the boy took a step back from the door so the following events wouldn't backfire on him. With enough distance between himself and the obstacle, Pasche brought one of his bandaged arms back with a clenched fist and tensed his entire form. A burst of adrenaline filled his being and he shot his fist forward punching through the large door blocking his path. It had enough strength in it that the door completely exploded and remnants of the latter flew across the hall and embedded themselves into the wall adjacent of the child. The remaining parts merely crumbled in front of him, dust clouding his view for a few moments before clearing wholly.

Regaining his composure, the maroon haired boy lost his obnoxious expression and continued on in the maze. If all of the challenges throughout the labyrinth were like this, then the phase would be a cinch. But there was the main objective all had yet to achieve, and that was finding the examiner of the first phase. Where could she be hiding in all of the time given to them? Could she be moving within the maze like the rest of the applicants?

"That was pretty impressive before."

Pasche stopped walking, and darted around to meet the narrow gaze of a bald male standing around the corner from where he turned. The stranger walked out into the open, and smiled friendly enough to show he didn't mean the child any harm. But with that knowledge he did not indulge in conversation, instead he turned away with a 'tsk' and started moving again. It was no surprise others would soon be following in his steps, but now that he thought about it he was just clearing the way for others who chose to follow the path he did... Now that was certainly bothersome to realise – he was helping those bastards pass!

The bald headed man stayed after with a modest gaze in his black eyes, and exhaled. He didn't affront him or anything, so why did he march off like he didn't acknowledge his presence in the first place? He assumed the boy wasn't a team player and nodded, his arms crossed over his badge holding #145 in black letters across it.

A scream of absolute dread reached Pasche's ears and he turned his head to the source, of course a wall obscured his vision in the way of whomever it came from. Blue orbs widened at the sound, and it made him want to cringe, though his outer appearance hadn't changed in the slightest at the time. But what made him twitch was another shriek following the last, followed by another, then the same again. It must have been the traps set for those unfortunate souls who went the wrong way, and he had to admit he almost pitied the poor fools. _Almost. _To give sympathy to the enemy would only run him down dry and therefore postpone his own objective from being achieved. He couldn't afford to do that, not for any of these people.

Another howl of terror hit him, and this time it was far closer than the others had been. It was in the direction he was just about to turn in, and thus it led him to turn in the opposite direction instead. They were helpful in death, if he thought of it that way. Pasche searched his surroundings very closely, and turned left at the next corner only to come in contact with a copy of the last door he ran into. The only difference was the colour and size. This one in particular was purple on contrary to the metallic orange, and rose higher than the walls of the maze. The walls in height were about 5 metres tall and a challenge to climb, unless one extensively trained in climbing or jumping ability. But something told him it wouldn't be a clever idea to try climbing them in the first place.

"I need to take advantage of that shouting," Pasche thought out loud, "They'll indicate where those traps are, and lead me to the goal."

"Find my opening and you may pass." The door bellowed to the young man as another test came before him. A light shined across his vision, and a number of patterns lined transversely on the door from seemingly nowhere. Each pattern was exclusively different to the next, both in shape and colour, with no specific meaning to any. They were so randomly placed Pasche couldn't even find the slightest hint of an opening with the best of his abilities.

"Find my opening. I give you one chance." The object finally added, bringing a sense of stress to his mind.

* * *

The Hunter Association wasn't holding back this year in its phases. Already a number of twenty applicants had either died or been crippled in their attempt to find the examiner Bokke. The incessant amounts of yelling in both anger and pain echoed through the labyrinth, deterring many from their path. It made them nervous to keep moving; terrified they would lose their life the same it did to countless others. Then there were individuals like Pasche who kept moving despite what they heard, because they had courage and pride, or something else entirely to drive them forth. Still, the yelling managed to edge through his mind, but not in the way it did to normal people. It just…really pissed him off. Honestly, couldn't they keep their mouths shut now instead of constantly calling for help? They're the ones who chose to participate in the Hunter Exam. It was their damn fault it had to end that way.

Rubbing a bandage covered finger against his temple, Pasche pondered what had kept him still for the last ten minutes. His growing infuriation due to his impatient nature made him cuss loudly under his breath and punch the wall beside him. The blow crashed through half of the thick cement wall until Pasche stopped himself and stared at the door left untouched by his developing rage. He had one chance, yet he hadn't an answer for the door to find its opening. What kind of opening had it meant in the first place? Was there a hidden message in it that led to the answer, or a subtle image in the numerous patterns displayed?

"Dammit all..!" He hissed with seething venom in his words. This fucking door wasn't going to stop him now!

"Need a little help?" A familiar tone came from behind him, and Pasche widened his eyes when his presence became known.

How long had he been standing there? Not once did he notice the bald male until he frontally spoke to him. Getting a better look at him, he didn't look overly that impressive, but he must have qualified for the Hunter Examination. His skin was tanned, so he must have been an out-going type of individual, and he was bald with black narrow eyes that for some reason really pissed him off to stare at. He had an uncaring expression; it didn't feel ignorantly rude, but rather bored. As for his attire, well it wasn't anything special. He wore a blue jersey jacket which featured a couple of white stripes on each sleeve over a plain T-shirt. With it were a slightly baggy pair of tracksuit pants with white stripes on each leg as well, and on his feet were sport shoes the same colour of the stripes, no doubt describing him as athletic.

Finally, Pasche shook his head and denied any support for him. He crossed his arms stubbornly and went back to thinking about the objective to passing through the door. He could do it, he just had to keep thinking. A mutter slipped from his lips, if not childish in his act to be the lone wolf.

"Go away. I can do this on my own."

"Is that so?" The stranger asked. When he saw Pasche's eyes look into his, and then quickly avert them elsewhere, he smiled and walked towards the door. "Give me a try, I won't disappoint you."

"What? Hell no! You only get one chance! If you screw it up then the both of us might get killed, moron!"

Yet the man's smile grew wider, and he ignored Pasche's complaining.

Strutting forward he came face to face with the door and squinted his eyes to get a better look and confirm his assumptions about the answer. Without further ado, he placed his left hand over a zig-zagged arrangement, and slid it across to a curved one. He then used his other hand and placed it over a design on the other side of the door. Pasche didn't follow what his actions meant for the answer, but the door immediately creaked and slid open as a result. Whatever the hell he did, it worked and the young boy let out a sigh of relief for his imminent success. That must have been a fluke. How could he have known the answer just like that, when it had taken him so long yet with no solution to the puzzle?

"…Hmph. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now. But I'm not letting you do that again, baldy."

As if he could read his words true meaning, the elder man walked passed with a short, humble wave, "You're welcome kid. For future reference, my name is Sato. I look forward to seeing you again in this Exam."

"Yeah right!" Pasche yelled after him with sarcasm, and followed behind by a distance. Their paths separated when he took a right and Sato the left. Though in a corner of his mind, he wouldn't be bothered all that much to see him again… Just to show the dolt up.

He wasn't going to be one upped by some stupid bald man.

* * *

**Sorry it took so long to update!**

**I'll do better in the next chapter, so hopefully I won't keep you guys waiting too long for it. Next chapter there will be more action, and hopefully the first phase might come to a close - maybe. **

**See you next chapter! Feel free to review, it really helps motivate me! :D**


	4. First Phase (Part 2)

Fifty.

Sixty.

Seventy…

They were either dead or left unconscious by the results of failure. Most of those fortunate souls were alive, though there wasn't any evidence of them waking before the end of the first phase. Only an hour was left of the time remaining and miraculously a number of applicants had found the examiner, though the location was kept unknown by those still searching in the labyrinth. One of the many included Pasche. But he had made sure not to fall the same way so many applicants had. They were reckless – albeit he was too – but he didn't rush into things with the knowledge that traps were laid throughout the place. Traps that could possibly lead to death or cripple him for the rest of his miserable life. Those doors hadn't proved too bothersome since the purple one he ran into. They either asked a question on something specific about the world, or asked for him to meet a certain condition so he could continue. They were each different to one another, but interesting in how they worked. He had to wonder however what this phase was about. Did it test overall knowledge and the capabilities of each applicant?

As he ran through the endless paths, he swiftly turned left at the next corner but skid across the ground to a stop as he found a large pitfall in front of him. That was really close… he could have fallen and died in that. It spread ten by ten feet, and when he peered into it he couldn't see anything but pitch black that curled around the light barely reaching its surface. The boy turned around and shook his head to forget the image, then ran back to go right instead of the way he'd originally hone. There'd been a significant amount of dead ends he ran into that it was starting to really bother him. Where the hell was the examiner hiding?

It made him feel inferior to those who'd already found her, but damn it he was not a weakling. Pasche ground his teeth together as he sprinted through the corridor to another split path, taking a left again. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary and he ran to the end of it like before, and then turned in the direction he deemed safe. At this point he was just blindly running like a rat through a maze tested on by scientists. Wait… he was just blindly running with no actual idea of where to go, but merely hoped to find the examiner like that. He'd never thought about it until now, and abruptly stopped in motion. The maroon haired child cursed, having no set mind map in his head to help calculate where he was in the labyrinth.

"Damn it!" Pasche yelled in frustration, taking his anger out on the wall as usual when he threw a bandaged fist against it.

The bricks shattered on impact and broke down the wall into a hole where his fist had landed. It was big enough to even climb through with no effort- Hold on. The walls could be broken through with a punch like that. That meant he wouldn't have to waste time like he was and simply break down the walls with ease. It was a lot less complicated with that handicap, but he knew it might give other applicants the same idea and copy what he had begun doing. There was only one loophole for them though. Pasche had trained for years, day in and day out until his very arms bled from continual use over their limits, just to gain more power in strength.

Men were weak, all bark and no bite. But the child made sure he was barking, and had a dangerously aggressive bite. So violent that it could hardly be grasped rightly due to Pasche's short temper that always raged out of control. He'd been trying to work on it though. Progress was made (sort of) in the last year since the 285th Hunter Exam that he failed.

"Alright…" He finally decided a course of action; to break through the walls.

Pasche climbed through the hole he made and came into a new corridor. He turned his attention immediately a form lying nearby and they appeared to be breathing from the small rise and fall of their chest. It was a young woman no more than twenty three with light blonde hair tied up in two pigtails, and she seemed to be injured from the blood seeping out onto the ground from her shoulder. He couldn't do anything for her however, and walked passed to reach the corner. But what he didn't take note of was the presence of a magical beast lurking about. Said beast was put there under exam conditions to lower the number of applicants significantly who couldn't handle themselves in combat. But Pasche noticed too late when he wandered around the corner and came face to face with the creature.

It stood at seven feet tall and was covered in slick black fur, slightly like the form of a bear but much more terrifying in its appearance. Long claws sprouted from its nails, the tips covered in red. Over its back were spines that stuck out similar to a hedgehog's, and when it turned around Pasche instantly took a step away from it. Its face was that of a bat's with gleaming red eyes that flickered with anger when it saw him. Around its neck was a small collar signifying that it must have been tamed somehow. But who the hell was capable of such things? The beast roared for the first time, and it sounded dangerous enough the boy instantly raised his guard and tensed. Maybe coming through that whole was a bad idea… but he couldn't run from this fight – or any for that fact. He had to face it head on.

Besides, he wouldn't have had time to run when suddenly a large claw swiped at his head. In a matter of seconds Pasche ducked out of the way as the nails cut a few strands off his hair, and he threw his fist into the beast's arm in response. A loud crack resonated with the pained wail of the creature as it backed away from Pasche, growling deeply at his successful efforts to injure it.

"I don't have time to deal with you!" The child yelled at it, in turn infuriating the creature further. A bad choice of words, but it didn't look like it was going to listen to reason in the first place.

The furry arm he previously hit was now limply hanging by the magical beast's side, and with a roar it attacked Pasche with its other remaining limb. However due to its sheer size, it was slow and couldn't catch the child in its claws. Pasche wasn't too fast either, but surely exceeded the beast's own speed as he dodged to the side and the sharp claws met the ground, spearing through the cement like it was butter. He narrowed his eyes and ran towards his opponent, jumping in the moment it was occupied and punched it square in the jaw bone, where another loud crack followed in the action. But he didn't stop there in his assault, pulling back his right arm and beating it on the other side of its face, forcing its head to snap adjacent of the blow. To finish it off while a whimper escaped the beast, the maroon haired boy lifted his knee and kicked upwards into its chin, completely fracturing its jaw and sending it into the air by a couple of feet, crashing into the wall behind.

Once his feet landed on the ground, Pasche dusted himself off and picked up his single strap bag that fell on the ground during the onslaught of attacks. He sighed, flexing his hands a couple of times before walking.

"That thing had tough skin…" He muttered. The boy noted if he had normal strength like others he would have been the one with a broken arm instead of the beast itself. But even with his skills it still caused a slight strain on his muscles. That magical beast had been placed for a good reason, but he wouldn't let it stop him. Following the path, he noticed however that the creature managed to bring down many others before him. The body of three males came up around the corner, then another female at an upcoming dead end. A number of five victims fell to the power of the beast in one passage. He could only imagine how many more did in other parts of the maze.

Bricks went flying, and another hole was made. He decided to go in a straight path towards the middle of the maze where the light wasn't able to reach, and soon enough anything within sight was covered in shadow. He had to trust his instincts from now on, and not fall into any possible traps around him, or creatures hiding in the dark. Darkness engulfed his body and he pushed on through the maze, blinded in sight. His other senses kicked in, and with his raised guard reacted to any movement that reached his ears. To assist in his search, Pasche kept one of his hands constantly on the wall beside him to feel for corners or anything put out of place; inconvenient or not.

No one would actually have the nerve to enter this part of the labyrinth, unless they were absolutely sure their destination was set in such a place. Truthfully, Pasche wasn't certain Bokke was hiding there, but it made the most sense to him. He had to trust his instincts that led him there and continue on until the end. He couldn't fail now. He had so much to do, and he could only do it if he acquired a Hunter License – an authorization that could give him access to many places he couldn't reach beforehand. He had to focus on the task at hand, and estimated another ten to fifteen minutes had passed, and he had just over half an hour left before the first phase of the exam ended.

Shit, he was really cutting this close. But he was never a fan of hide and seek and this showed for it.

Not a speck of light reached his vision, and he was completely blind where ever he went. His eyes were only now adjusting to the blackness, but it didn't prove to help all that much in his situation. The distant yells of applicants falling into traps showed not many had followed his path and gone into the center of the labyrinth. They hadn't the nerve, with the fear they might lose their lives in such a reckless place. But in truth they were making it worse by travelling through the rear corners instead. The further out they wandered, the more traps and doors had been set on the path. This is what Pasche concluded as he advanced towards his destination.

Five minutes, nothing. Ten minutes, nothing. Twenty minutes… fucking nothing! Pasche could sense time was running out, and he had barely any moments to spare. Left, left, right, left. It didn't matter whether or not he mapped out the directions, since he wasn't getting anywhere. Pasche huffed, and finally stopped, hunching over slightly as he calmed his racing heart.

"I can't be wrong about this." Pasche whispered to himself, swallowing to keep his mouth from drying. "I know I'm right. I know she's nearby!"

"You're right."

A coy tone replied in the dark, and Pasche widened his eyes to the source. Looking up however, he couldn't see whomever it originated from. Their tone was calm and overly arrogant, as if they had no worry for anything. It unmistakably sounded like a male, and he narrowed his eyes through the dark to see if it would make a difference. The stranger caught on though, and hummed in delight, showing they had no problem seeing through the void around them.

"Follow me, boy," the voice led him on, and instinctively he followed without hesitance. It could have been a trap, but something about it made him think otherwise. The twelve year old disliked the thought of being helped, but in this case he was desperate. So much he would accept the aid of a stranger he couldn't even see. This didn't mean he would thank them, or befriend the person.

No they weren't worth the effort.

Suddenly, the voice went silence. All form of movement seized, and Pasche found himself alone once more. It didn't bother him that he was unaccompanied, but they'd disappeared far too early that he still hadn't an idea where the finish line was. But those doubts were erased when he heard the distinct sound of rustles of clothes, the murmurs of voices – many of them – and the all too familiar giggle of a certain female examiner. It wasn't in his head, and a glint of hope sparked inside him, magnificent blue orbs widening with a small shine despite there being no light.

Pasche's eyes were now more accustomed to the dark, and he could make out the walls around him, the paths, and the upcoming door—Wait, door?

Another door with conditions?

…Seriously?

That burning hope dwelling inside him was instantly extinguished, and a yell of frustration left his lips. He couldn't contain his anger anymore, as much as he kept it in check for the phase. The short bursts of rage that escaped at moments were nothing compared to his boiling hatred for the exam now, and in the following minutes the wall beside him shattered. Bricks flew across the corridor, and the remainder of the attack left a hole larger than the previous blows against the mazes inside walls. The dust and rubble spread throughout the new area revealed by his rage and a couple of hacking coughs followed when it caught in the throats of several applicants.

Pasche lifted his head and stood up straight at the scene before him. He'd broken through the wall that was lining a room. The room was lit up inside, but completely undistinguishable from the outside where it was covered in shadow. It was very large though, enough to hold at least three to four hundred examinees. Did that mean the maze outside was actually smaller than all of them thought? Pasche didn't bother to figure out the logic behind it, when he was met with the face of his examiner, Bokke standing no more than ten feet away. A smile spread across her features, and he nodded her hand in acceptance of his actions. Another laugh wisped through the air, and he turned around with a waving hand to gain the unwanted attention of the applicants around them both.

"I never said you had to walk through the maze. You could have broken the whole thing down, just like this boy did." Bokke called out and pointed to the maroon haired child with excitement.

Pasche gained a few stares, but quickly ignored them with a turn of his head. The fact he hadn't thought about that method sooner bugged him, but there wasn't anything he could do about it now. Fixing his single strap over his shoulder, he walked inside the room and leaned against the wall closest to him. The light delicately hitting against his skin was more than welcome, and he relished in the fact that he could see again.

As his eyes scanned the room, he noticed a few faces from before. That bastard Tonpa had somehow made it there, including the red haired clown who gave him the constant chills. The bald man called Sato who helped him was there as well, along with the old martial artist and three siblings that always appeared to stick together. Before he knew it, time had passed and the exam ended with a loud bell emitting from the examiner's pocket within her skirt. It only then struck him... Pasche passed the first phase.

"A number of three hundred and ninety-eight applicants have passed the first phase. Congratulations!" Bokke's enthusiastic toned confirmed it.

Pasche inwardly rewarded himself for passing, but a thought had been tugging at his mind. It made him tense the longer he pondered the question that had no answer.

Just who had helped him in those last minutes through the maze?

* * *

**Sorry for the slow updates! I've actually been pretty busy and have barely had time to write. I haven't proof read this, but I will later when it isn't 2am in the morning. XD**

**Thank you for being so patient. I hope this makes up for the time you've all had to wait. Next chapter we'll bring in a couple more characters and will start the second phase of the exam. I'm looking forward to this!**

**My, I wonder who helped him? **

**Please review! It really helps motivate me to continue! :)**


	5. Interval

Three hundred and ninety-eight left.

It wasn't unforeseen that number of applicants passed the first phrase. It tested overall knowledge and general capabilities fit for being a Hunter. Breaking down the dividers was also an option instead of walking their way around the maze, but not many had the strength nor thought outside the box as much. For applicant #512 it was only a stroke of luck, and understandably wouldn't happen twice in the same day. But he didn't want to depend on such things. All he needed was his wits and strength, which he solely depended on for the exam. Last year it failed him, but this year he knew would be different. It just had to be if he pushed himself enough. However… now there were suspecting eyes on the boy.

Due to the examiner's incompetence in pointing him out, there were a few who though Bokke was being biased towards the young man. That in itself spelled trouble for him, but he quite easily ignored the whispers and stares of the crowd. He only had to focus on himself and no one else. Though that was becoming increasingly more difficult the further time went on in the exam. For sure he'd have enemies in the upcoming phases, so right now was a critical time to examine other applicant's strengths and weaknesses. A mid length raven haired male stood a ways from the child. He was heavily built with a ludicrous curly moustache on his face. Said examinee wore a simple red shirt with a biker jacket over it, then had a few chains wrapped around his waist leading to black trousers and the same coloured trudging shoes. He didn't look like much, and appeared more than obnoxious about himself.

Another was a shorter male with caramel blonde hair pulled back into a long plat leading down to his pelvis. He had loose hair from the do waving down both sides of his head. His eyes were dark ginger, lifeless in appearance and had noticeably pale skin with a beauty mark under his left eye. His attire reminded Pasche of a hunter in the wild, tiring a sleeveless light forest green blouse with a high collar around his neck and brown outlines around portions of it. A black cravat protruded from the opening of the collar and down to his chest. Over the shirt he wore a belt and a strap around his torso leading to a bow and holder for many arrows. Then observing further he had navy, slagging trousers tucked into a pair of boots. The only accessory he wore was a single glove on his right hand, which thinking now, must have been his dominant hand when using the bow. The amount of muscle on him and his seemingly impassive expression made Pasche think twice about him. He looked to be in his early twenties, but regarded to be more than capable of handling himself compared to the last applicant. His badge read #27; so therefore he must have been quick on his feet or very intelligent, according to Pasche.

The other nearby applicant was a female appearing to be in her late teens. She had a short cut full fringe with ink black hair that curled outwards at the ends reaching just above her shoulders with a bun on top. She had cunning ocean blue eyes that slanted upwards with a scheming expression, and she appeared wary of her surroundings like a ninja on a mission. A bad analogy considering, but compared because of her chosen outfit. She wore a dull violet kunoichi outfit with a light sash and black ribbon tied around her ribcage. The clothes reached shortly to her thighs where her calves down to her feet were covered in fresh bandages. She must have come from a foreign continent due to her clothes, but Pasche chose not to linger on where.

None of these individuals were attentive to his presence, likely due to his height and overall quietness. He had no reason to initiate a conversation with these applicants, so he followed the examiner like the rest of them were towards their next exam location. The destination title was unknown to them, but they eagerly pursued the leader with a goal in mind.

"This blows. If the rest of the phases are as stupid as the first we'll pass in no time," One of the three siblings Pasche remembered spoke to his other brothers who were walking alongside him. He was average height in comparison to his siblings with a smug chortle, hands in his pockets as he slumped in his posture from boredom.

"It was a cinch from the start," Another claimed, towering over his brothers with a better posture than the latters.

"Yeah, no kiddin'," The last replied. He was the shortest, and the boy assumed the youngest of the bunch.

Pasche want to knock his head against a solid brick wall after overhearing them. To find that his competitors had such an outlook on the exam was mind-boggling, and he watched them in awe as they strode beside him. But they soon caught onto his stare and raised a brow, finding his attitude towards them slightly offensive. Rookies like them didn't deserve his attention, but they were honestly stupid enough that he couldn't hold back that spark of pity demonstrated through his sapphire eyes. The siblings glared at him then, and the youngest had the guts – or rather idiocy - to speak up compared to his brothers.

"What are ya lookin' at, kid?" He asked with a tone of judgment to which Pasche ignored entirely, "If you've got somethin' to say, say it now."

He shouldn't have even bothered, but took the bait.

"I'm appalled," the maroon haired boy commented, "You three are no doubt going to fail the exam."

Saying this understandably annoyed the three of them, but majorly struck the youngest. He glowered with agitation and muttered how much of the brat Pasche was under his breath. The eldest however noticed and took charge of the conversation to shut his brother up, telling him to keep his cool and that they should get to the front of the group. Pasche took note of their numbers just in case he came across the trio again, #356, #357 and #358. But he didn't intend on seeing them again for his mentality's sake. Next time he would actually knock into a wall just to avoid listening to their idle chatter about how 'easy' the Hunter Exam was. To ignore how ridiculously _conceited_ they were about their abilities to pass.

Sure the first exam may have been a bit easy for others, but they were known for getting harder as they went on. But it wasn't time to linger on those memories. The second phase was starting within the same day, and they had just barely any time left to spare before arriving at the next site. The tunnel didn't end no matter how long they marched, and at that rate so many behind were assuming it was an endless road that ran across the whole world. Such theories were immediately cut short when they noticed light from the outside far off in the distance. Sighs of relief escaped the mouths of many applicants, and Pasche had to admit even he was relieved by this information. More for the reason that they would now continue the exam. They had used almost two hours of the day's remaining light and by the time they arrived it was already afternoon by the trajectory of the sun.

This information became apparent when they exited out of the tunnel and came across the terrain outside. To be specific, the Numere Wetlands; known for its extremely dangerous inhabitants and lurking folktales from many years ago. No matter what time throughout the day it was, the fog constantly loomed throughout the forests and creeks. One couldn't be sure if it was natural, or in an area toxic enough to kill with a single breath. This was when things were changed up and became increasingly serious for the applicants. More lives would be lost, and the minority of who failed wouldn't have a chance of ever recovering entirely if they survived – or would die anyway from dehydration or loss of blood.

Bokke giggled at the latter's reactions to the testing area, and turned around in one swift motion to wave her hand in front of the crowd. "Everyone, I'm taking off from here!" Her voice echoed through the plains.

"Good luck!" Her golden eyes shined with intrigue, though a corner dwelled in darkness for what was to come for them. What a shame so many talents would be extinguished on that day.

With that, she vanished like she had last time, a flash of light crossing everyone's vision.

* * *

Everyone looked around suddenly, lost as to what their objective was. They'd been left with nothing since Bokke's leave, and now many of the applicants were growing impatient, including Pasche who managed to hide it well. The boy chose to stay at the back as to not bring attention to himself like Bokke did before. He shrugged the cold off that wisped around his body in a song of wind and hung his head low, eyes shifting left and right every now and then. Looking now he must have been among the youngest of the bunch there, but to others that showed how foolish he must have been, or arrogant to the conditions of the Hunter Exam itself. They knew nothing for his attendance there, and Pasche made sure to keep it that way. It was none of their business.

Shortly his head whisked in the direction of a figure approaching through the fog from the nearby forest. Some speculated who it was, most figuring it must have been their examiner they had keenly awaited for. And it was.

The fog dispersed lightly around their form, and they came to a stop in front of the examinees with hands resting on their hips. The examiner was a giant, muscle oriented man with tanned skin and stern, dark eyes. His short dusky hair was combed back with small twirls on both sides, and an abstract curl on the top of his head. On the examiner's right arm was a tattoo in the shape of a sparrow with flames arising in the background behind it in the shape of Celtic patterns. His torso was bare, other than the red singlet he wore with white outlining the collar and shoulders. With it was a loose pair of grey slacks and sneakers. Suddenly an enthusiastic sound escaped him in the form of a huff, and he clapped his hands together so hard it spread the fog between his hands and out of the way. The sound resonated throughout the area, and even forced a wave of wind to blow through the examinees near him.

As he began to speak, his voice was strong just like his appearance, "Sorry I'm a little late applicants! I thought I'd take the scenic route here," he laughed raucously.

Many of the people around Pasche sweat dropped and creased their brows. The young examinee scratched the back of his head with a sigh. He wasn't expecting someone like this, but it didn't surprise him either. The Hunter Association was full of different personalities, especially ones like Bokke and this selected individual. But despite their attitudes, it didn't effect how durable they were in fights or generally being a Hunter. They were selected for good reasons to be examiners when there was the possibility they could be killed during the test. Why would they do it when they weren't even being paid to stand there and make objectives for these people to follow? Hunters were selfish, so there must have been another reason behind doing so.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Pasche listened on.

"The name's Gorasa, though you can call me Gora for short. I'll be your examiner for the second phase." The large male announced with a smirk. As he cracked his knuckles he began to step towards the crowd, getting a good look at the applicant's faces.

"We'll be holding the second exam here in the Numere Wetlands, and I warn you only this once to be careful. You're here by decision, so you can't hold anyone but yourself here responsible for whatever happens."

This warning alone rose awareness and the air grew dense as everyone's guard was on full alert. Pasche tensed at the new feel of the atmosphere, and frowned as a result. One slip up here and you would be dead the next second. This made some hesitant to continue, but knew it was too late to back down.

As Pasche's gaze only very slightly moved to the side, they laid upon a piercing gold pair of eyes. Though they weren't directed his way, they were enough to raise his guard to their limits. His entire body was tensing so much he noticed then that his hands were balled into fists, shaking lightly from the uneasiness he got from that certain individual. The red-headed clown was in a world of his own, slanted eyes narrowing to the point he looked almost seduced by euphoria alone. It was as if he was feeding off the strained atmosphere. He licked his lips with hidden joy, sending another familiar shiver down Pasche's spine he was forced to look away and throw the memories of laying his eyes on the stranger. No matter where he looked that same man showed up in his vision, one way or another.

'_Ignore him and focus on phase,' _Pasche reminded himself, _'Just keep your distance.'_

"-So now that we've gotten that out of the way, I'll explain the phase's objectives." Gora continued with his flamboyant speech that snapped Pasche's attention back straight away.

"Your job is to track down your target and take them to the finish line at the other end of these wetlands, north of here," his eyes squinted as he added on, "however these are not normal targets."

"Your target is a tamed _man-faced monkey _used by the Hunter Association, an inhabitant to the Numere Wetlands. They're able to disguise their selves as us, and use human language as a result of that transformation. But although they're tamed to follow orders, they _will_ try to kill you given the chance." His voice bellowed in seriousness, sending a feel of restlessness in the air. Pasche, among many others had never witnessed a man-faced ape before, so had little to no idea of their appearance or how they acted. But now they knew one thing; they would not hesitate to kill the applicants. What else was in there ready to slaughter them on sight when they entered?

"There are a number of one hundred and fifty man-faced monkeys to find and capture. Killing the target is allowed, but not encouraged. I only have one hint to give you all though- Each tamed creature has a tag on its ear when in its normal form. Any other one from that is not a target, and we will not accept one if you capture it. You have until dawn tomorrow to survive and come to the appointed spot. You'll know it when you see it."

To show them what the creature looked like, Gora took a photo out of his pocket and held it up to the applicants in front of him. The magical beast itself was pale skinned, with lilac coloured hair that was partly spiked on the sides. Then the rest of it was slumped like a monkey's body was. It was a photo of a tamed man-faced ape due to the appearance of the red tag on its left ear, giving the examinees a feel for what they were now hunting down. Pasche remarked inwardly that they looked horrendously unpleasant, and he'd be more than satisfied to punch the thing's face in for the sake of capturing it. It was uglier than that magical beast he'd dealt with in the labyrinth and that was saying something obvious.

"Now… begin!" His voice boomed through the crowd enough it made them jump.

Gora turned and began to walk off in the direction he originally came from, the very place they were all about to enter for the sake of passing the second phase. But unlike them he had little to worry about because of his abilities to survive under such conditions. The same they would likely face and die from.

Pasche didn't want to waste time and stepped forward, hearing a close by applicant say exactly what he'd been subsequently thinking.

"What's with these examiners and disappearing?"

* * *

**I'm sorry for the lateness of this chapter! o.o I've been so busy and finally have time now to write and draw. **

**So I've introduced a couple of OC's in this chapter I made, including the examiner Gorasa. Sounds like a feminine name, no wonder he wants people calling him Gora. Kind of like gorilla. (He has the body build for one) XD**

**This is the only exam site that's similar to the 287th's, all the rest will be completely different so don't worry about that. I wonder how Pasche will fair trying to capture one of the man-faced monkeys while dealing with the other inhabitants of the Numere Wetlands!**

**Reviews really help motivate me to continue! :D**


	6. Second Phase (Part 1)

So this was it.

The previous year had been a failure on this part of the Hunter Exam, and it was time to prove how much he'd grown from being that irresponsible eleven year old. As the applicants scattered throughout the Numere Wetlands, many wondered if they would ever find their way out. It stretched over hills far and wide, and some whispered tales that if one were to recklessly walk there without direction, they would be forever lost, their bones fed upon by the wildlife of the delusional terrain. Such a way to go about death brought shivers up their spines, and they had to desperately push their bodies in this phase should they want to live. That could be said for every phase, but this alone was of high risk.

Pasche miraculously discovered a beast trail winding through the forest of pine trees during his entrance, and decided to follow along it until he came across clues of his target. The man-faced monkey; capable of changing form to that of a human and imitating their language. When they fooled their victim, the creature would then kill said person and feed off their corpse. It was a brutal, disgusting way to live, but a normal routine to those magical beasts. Gora had announced they'd been tamed, but many of the examinees doubted that information (including Pasche). If the man-faced ape was tamed, then why hadn't they changed the magical beast's moral as well? Was that part of the exam, or merely because their master was a heartless bastard?

The boy distinctly remembered the grizzly-like beast in the labyrinth had a tag of sorts – a collar- and assumed they had the same master. So could it have been Bokke all along? Even if it may have appeared as an accessory, the red collar around the female examiner's neck was very similar and raised his suspicions shortly after encountering the creature. But that didn't matter now. That was the past and Pasche had to focus on the future.

Because of the magical beast's ability, everyone was now an enemy more so than before. Previously he had no trust for any of his competitors, but now any of them could be a killer, and they wouldn't hesitate to slaughter the child should he give them the chance. To go a whole night with that mindset was torture, and Pasche felt he wouldn't sleep a wink. He'd be continuously moving until the sun was rising over the hills, filling the sky with vibrant colours of pink, yellow and blue. In a way Pasche couldn't wait until that time, because dawn was one of the most fascinating scenes to wake up to. He would never get sick of that beautiful image; to him they were the most cherished moments of his life to date. They always had been.

The sun's bottom met the horizon, and Pasche clutched his single strap bag closer. No matter where he was, the thick fog clouded his vision, but he noticed in some parts it lightened if only a little. Since entering the Numere Wetland, he'd felt eyes relentlessly observing him. Whether they were eyes of the wildlife or of other natures was unknown, but he didn't care. His full attention was on the dense greenery around him. In a way, it reminded him of home, but different at the same time. Such a place was lighter in atmosphere, and a threat loomed not around the inhabitants of NGL, but far away. It had been so long now since he'd been there…

"Excuse me," Pasche stopped as a slightly monotone voice reached from behind him. He'd not once felt a presence around the area and only now noticed. When he turned is head, his eyes met with an arrow pointed no more than two inches away. Pasche narrowed his eyes in a threatening demeanour to the huntsman now staring him back, no sign of hesitance in his features. One slip up here and he'd be dead…

"I'm not one of those things, " Pasche answered before the question came from the other, "If that's what you want to know."

"We don't have a way of knowing if that's the truth."

The male before him was the same one he'd seen while travelling in the tunnels with the other applicants, examinee #27. He had caramel blonde hair in a plait reaching down to his pelvis and dark ginger eyes that held little to no emotion in them. Not even a shine of enthusiasm or anger. He was a master of hunting, and Pasche noted that he should be careful with this one, especially considering he had an arrow in front of his head looking more than ready to pierce his skull.

"Then answer this question," the archer began while pulling the arrow back further by the string of the bow, "What method did you use to pass the first phase?"

This guy was just wasting his time… but he couldn't move otherwise he'd have that arrow go through him in no time. Gritting his teeth, Pasche clenched his fists and chose to answer instead of making a ruckus, "I broke down the walls with my fists. To add on, the examiner pointed me out among the crowd. You noticed that, didn't you?"

"I take in what's required," he finished, finally putting away the bow and arrow. To extend a friendly greeting after the short display of brutality, the male held out his gloved hand to Pasche. "-Nicks, a pleasure."

The child instead turned away from him with a scowl, "No pleasure from me. I'm going-"before he could finish, a strong grasp took hold of his hand, constricting to the point it began to hurt. Pasche winced with a curse under his breath and glared at Nicks as he let go, a satisfied smile broadening on his features. "Bastard…" The insult didn't go unheard, but the huntsman had already begun to fade into the mist surrounding him. Luckily not all the applicants were like him, and he silently thanked that circumstance, otherwise he'd have arrows sticking out of his back faster than he could say his own name.

* * *

Sunset was slowly inching towards night. Pasche watched with an unwavering gaze, as a fiery orb of light slowly sank beneath the horizon, and threads of light lingered in the sky, mingling with the rolling clouds. They dyed the heavens first orange, red, then dark blue, until all that was left of the sunset was a chalky mauve that melted away in turn as stygian darkness took over the sky. Within the mist innumerable figures appeared, dead from toxication and fatal injury or merely unconscious from the result of the Hypnosis Butterfly, Claymore Mushroom and many more. Some hadn't come even near to catching sight of their objective, or fell prey to the tamed beasts in their search. But he was close. He knew it.

The maroon haired boy stopped in his tracks and sat down, leaning his weight against a quite large tree. Sliding off the bag from his back, he opened it from the cords of the top and took out an apple he'd bought the day before. Pasche hadn't eaten since the early morning and his stomach was coiling in hunger. Taking a bite, he felt the sweet juices of the fruit quench his dry mouth, and sighed in contentment. The silence of the wetlands was actually relaxing, but with the impending threats he couldn't lower his guard.

As he was about to take another bite, a shadow scampered across his vision through the fog, and he halted. "What as that..," he leaned off the tree and sat forward.

There was no sign of the figure reappearing, but he knew not to ignore it with the happenstance it could come back and strike when he'd forgotten.

Or perhaps he was merely paranoid…

Shaking the thoughts away, Pasche stood up with his bag and carefully edged towards the nearby shrubberies. The greenery shifted and he immobilized, nauseous feelings settling into his system the longer he postponed finding out what it could have possibly been. A bandaged hand lifted from his side, and he took the risk, striking the bush with a grip and taking hold of whatever was in there. He furiously pulled back, throwing the creature in the air and slammed it straight into the ground at his feet with a loud thump. The fog momentarily dispersed around his and the other's form, and Pasche came face to face with a man he hadn't wanted to meet. Tonpa the Rookie Crusher.

…Son of a _bitch_.

"What the hell are you doing, jackass?!" Pasche's irritation beat down on Tonpa, and beads of sweat visibly dribbled on the middle aged man's expression when he demanded an answer, "are you following me?"

As he was let go with a harsh push backward, the man cracked his shoulder and grimaced with a complaint of pain, muttering how much he would pay that brat back for dealing damage to him like that. Tonpa stood up from the ground and dusted himself off, glaring back at Pasche with narrowed black eyes., "You wouldn't believe me if I said I just happened to end up here-"

"Yeah, I wouldn't," the boy retorted bluntly, watching as Tonpa crossed his arms and averted looking at his fierce gaze, grumbling. He obviously had no evidence against that. Pasche's hand waved disinterestedly waved through the air in response, bringing Tonpa's attention back to him. The examinees had only until the next day to catch their target, and he couldn't waste it talking to every person who crossed his sight. When Tonpa's gaze met his, sapphire blue became a dark swirl of threat, and he spoke with venom in each word.

"I don't have time to _deal_ with you, Tonpa. If you intentionally get in my way like last year, I won't think twice about breaking every _damn_ bone in your short, stubby body.

The rendition of last year touched a nerve, and Tonpa grabbed Pasche by his collar pulling him up to his height, "Obnoxious brat…" he started, but the intimidation of the child proved too overwhelming for him to finish. Deciding to give up on finishing, the older male put Pasche down and turned away, walking off while thinking up a scheme to get him back later on. If the Numere Wetlands didn't finish him off, something else would.

A shuffle of movement reached their ears, and both of them turned their heads to the source only metres away. Fog concealed the being, but a dull shadow was clear in vision. They were slouched over with the body of a human, or at the very least similar in form. It took a moment for them to stand up straight, and for a moment Pasche could have sworn he saw a slight alteration in their appearance, making his head tilt in confusion. Tonpa gained distance from the shadow and the boy, deciding he wouldn't get mixed up in their business because of his weak abilities. Albeit he was not as strong as many others, but he could hold his own should the time come…mostly. Others knew he was inwardly a coward in prior situations, always fleeing and coming in the time when the battle ended only to steal away the glory when the true victor was recovering.

The maroon head bit the inside of his cheek when Tonpa absconded, inching towards the figure still standing in the midst of quietness. "Tell me who you are, now."

Finally they stirred and broke the silence, "Applicant number eighty-one, Yura. Don't attack, kid. I'm on your sid-"

Yura's words cut short as a bandaged fist instantaneously came in tact with his jaw, the force picking him from the ground and sending the applicant flying into a hollow tree. A cringing snap followed suite and Pasche frowned as he lowered his hand to his side. He approached the pain induced applicant, only now twitching from the impact and a strangled gasp escaped their throat. They looked upon the child with fear and shock, opening their mouth as a dribble of blood fell from a gap where their tooth used to be.

"W-What's the big fucking idea?! I just said I'm on your side you little-!"

He had a habit of interrupting one's speech, and once more struck them in the face on the opposite side. Their voice hitched as they hit the gravel to the flank, spitting more blood on the soil. A hand wrapped around Yura's neck and squeezed out a splutter of resistance, but the applicant had little time to react when Pasche finally responded to his introduction.

"_No one_ is on my side," he hissed, hurling the individual's head into the ground and rendering them unconscious from the callousness. Yura's appearance gradually fissured and distorted; dirt brown and cream clothing dissipated into nothing, skin below the neck grew hair at immense pace. Brunette locks turned lilac and spiked from every edge, and Pasche widened his eyes at the surprise he had actually, coincidentally captured one of the many man-faced monkeys. Truth be told he only hit the disguised creature because it was too friendly and got on his nerves. He hadn't been expecting that.

But this was only the start… because night was approaching in the Numere Wetlands.

* * *

**Thank you very much to everyone who has reviewed, favourited and followed this story so far! **

**Wow Pasche's luck seems to be pretty high as of late, don't you think But how long will that last until things start to go downhill for real? We can only wait.**

**If you'd like to see more pictures of Pasche, you can check out my deviantart. The link is on my profile. :)**

**Feel free to review. They really help motivate me to continue! :D**


	7. Second Phase (Part 2)

Shit…

_Shit, shit, shit!_

It wasn't supposed to go like this.

Exhausted, rasping breaths escaped his exceedingly dry throat, flowing through the chilling night air with a subtle noticeability. The temperatures ran low, and his stamina was regrettably reaching its humane limit. With straining muscles locking up, beads of sweat ran down his skin and dropped from his chin. He slumped in composure as he finally came to a halt, tired arms using his knees for support while he barely held himself up from the superficially tensing gravity around him. His legs shook uncontrollably from the strain, and eventually gave out forcing him to tumble on his behind when he met the ground. A stressed curse jeered from his lips, and he balled his fists in anger, yelling out in frustration over his failure. The boy's voice echoed through the forest scaring small animals and many applicants alike, and then fell silent afterwards.

Pasche looked upwards, eyes unfocused and losing coherence from fatigue. He'd been running for hours on end and midnight was approaching by the minute. His body trembled with inner fury and his teeth grinded tightly, desperately trying to keep another shout from leaving him. The fog had lifted only a little since night replaced the sun's light, and now the real dangers of Swindler's Swamp, also known as Numere Wetlands, was showing itself. He couldn't believe what he'd seen before running, and as frustrated as it made the boy, he had no choice in the matter if he didn't want to die. The sacrifice of his target had to be made, to ensure his safety for the future. But because of that fault he was at square one, with no possible leads for his next hunt. The very knowledge of that was enough for any applicant to give up, but Pasche wouldn't. He couldn't discontinue where he'd been forced to fail the year before.

But what could he do with only so many hours to spare?

His luck had seemingly run out…

Slamming his fist against the ground, he ignored the strike of pain that coursed through his limb up and to his shoulder. It broke through the gravel and crushed the soil beneath. He couldn't stop shaking from his enervation. If anyone were to see him as he was, they'd only assume the child had been scared shitless by one of the many beasts roaming throughout the terrain. He couldn't let it come to that assumption, he had to remain strong both mentally and physically… else he would be dead. He didn't want to recall how it happened, how he'd ended up like this in only five hours. At first his success was inevitable, but now… Pasche's mind blanked, compelling a block in front of the memory to keep him from mentally breaking down. Damn, he looked so frightened that it was shameful. He hated that weak composure he held and the known fact he couldn't stop visibly shaking. He despised it all…

"Keep it together," his voice trembled in each syllable.

As his breath began to steady, he swallowed acutely to try and hydrate his throat. Whilst his attention focused on on that, the block holding his memory back wasn't strong enough, and eventually broke with ease. They came pouring back and spread like wildfire through his head, making his breath hitch in anxiety. Pasche clutched the sides of his head precipitously and curled up further against the tree, pressing himself as hard as he could to it. The fragments flashed in front of his eyes and he heaved with building panic in his system. As they settled into place, he bit his tongue to keep a shameful noise back.

"I'm really screwing myself over," Pasche chuckled with a quiver in his tone as the realization of his situation came to light. He'd thought the phases were in his favour until now, but that wasn't the case. For him to be so delusional, so obnoxious about his abilities in this phase was a foolish approach for the Hunter Exam. It wasn't a game he could take blithely just because he'd attempted the previous year and may have gained only a hint of experience. Closing his eyes, he snickered lightheartedly. He was so tired from running, and mistakenly allowed slumber to take over his wavering conscience. "Shit…" he managed to whisper under his dulling breath, senses diminishing and turning cold.

Everything became motionless; the wind, the continuous sounds of insects, the rustling of leaves. It was a world of darkness, where light's existence was only a legend.

* * *

Wind brushed through maroon hair, and beautiful sapphire settled on the clear sky above swaying green grass. It reached up to knees length, and tickled bare skin on contact, earning the attention of its owner. The air held a minor chill, but was overlooked when he noticed the familiar clothing he wore. Where he was, and why he was wearing it eluded his blank thoughts. His body was considerably different than its current state; smaller and plumper to reveal he was still growing from being a baby. The attire was worn years ago in memory, a bagging dull green sweater that covered over most the skin on his hands, dark shorts and simple brown shoes. The scene was one that he remembered as well when the imagery became focused A time when everything shone brightly in his innocent world, negated of any corruption. It was gorgeous like a sparkling jewel and he couldn't find himself looking away from its beauty.

In his younger years, the child was without the scar under his left eye, the bandages leading up his arms and the trademark earring he constantly wore. It was dear to him, a treasure passed down to him in death of another. Without it dangling there he felt naked; lonely.

"Pasche…"

The latter broadened his eyes when a charming tone hit his ears. It was unmistakably feminine, grown up and caring for his name. It couldn't be…

"Pasche, you'll be left behind."

Immediately Pasche turned to the basis of the voice… and stopped like a toy that ran out of batteries. He was completely frozen in place, his young face full of shaken expression; of mixed emotions that quite easily tore his facade. The person standing only metres from the youth was one he'd never expected to see again. It grounded his defences into nothing and he felt his legs give way to his shock. His body hit the soft grass and his mouth left hanging open, a shuddering breath being all that escaped his trembling form. For years he'd held back so many emotions all at once, but upon the image bestowed in that scene it all came tumbling back.

There in the open field spreading as far as the eye could see, a woman strode through the lush greenery. An indefinitely warm smile played on her lips, and her teal eyes trained on the boy emotionally broken by her appearance. Wavy, mid-length maroon hair followed in her stead, with a side fringe to hide only a portion of her right eye. An idle strand came down the side of her face that reached to her chest, and the same earring Pasche wore now belonged to her, however worn on both ears. Her lashes were long, gorgeous in length with flawless pale skin to highlight her features. The simplicity of the attire was much like Pasche's; a baby-pink short-sleeved shirt with a rounded collar, dark jeans running down to her ankles and a pair of ink-black strapped heels.

She was absolutely stunning to look at in the eyes of any man, but the child knew her for another title. One he dared to stutter from his quivering lips in a youth's call.

"_Mother."_

His recognition made her smile grow, "Pasche… do you remember our favourite saying?"

The child slowly nodded in response. Of course he remembered. It was his sole motivation to keep moving forward.

"Always do your best," his voice crackled in hesitance, "What you plant now, you will harvest later."

It was a common saying among farmers of NGL, one that Pasche and his family also used when times got rough for them during a difficult ingathering. Every world held truth to it, and for years the boy told himself this.

"That's right," his mother loitered in the same spot, as if she was frozen in place by an unknown force. The soft breeze blowing around them tussled her maroon hair and clothes, but she remained like a statue. Suddenly she stepped towards her son, eyes trained on his, calm and full of utter sincerity. "Don't give up, ok?" her voice cheered Pasche on, lacing with hope for his success in the future. Coming within a metre of him, she knelt down to his height, and softly wrapped her arms around his small body.

"I love you, my strong little boy."

Pasche slowly diverted his gaze to his mother, hands too startled to move and return to warm embrace. They shook by his side, and before he could move she pulled away. And like that, while his voice struggled to escape from his throat, she began to disperse and become one with the field around them.

"W-Wait… mother!" the child called.

His voice fell on deaf ears and he furrowed his brows in disbelief. A feeling of anguish took hold of him and he instantly began to scramble to his fading mother. "Wait, don't leave me again! Please!" No matter how far he reached, it was inevitable and he fell to the ground. Withers of lush grass brushed against his skin, and an indulgent hiccup escaped him as she disappeared. Tears streamed down that smooth complexion that was his own, blue orbs glazing in sadness and cheeks rosy red. Age was a mere falsity in his dream, and he forgot the future he currently resided in. The world was lonely, with him its only resident and endless thoughts to keep him preoccupied. Anger developed from that loneliness, and it bloomed into focused wrath. No matter the world, dream or reality; he was always horrifyingly alone.

* * *

Pasche's eyes snapped open and he jolted from where he lay, hysterically gasping for breath. His eyes were watering, threatening to slip down his face. His vision distorted into twirls of incoherence, and he felt like he was going to bring up his food. Something was wrong—it wasn't his dream that was found odd, but something in the air.

His eyes darted about, noticing now that the fog elevated during his sleep and was replaced by a somewhat purple mist. Purple mist…

Purple mist?

'_Toxins!' _The applicant instantly covered his mouth, eyes widening when he recognized what was around him. And he just took multiple breaths of that before he did!

_'Shit! I need to get out of here, and quick!' _Gathering the single strap bag, Pasche pushed himself off the ground and ran from where he was, keeping a bandaged hand desperately covering his mouth. How much did he take in? Was it poisonous; if so was it fast acting or slow? Would it kill him eventually, or did it act as a neutralizer? So many ideas raced through his mind. Although he'd only woken a few minutes ago he was wide awake, alert to the point his senses were high strung at the slightest of movements.

So far the mist didn't affect his nerves or other bodily functions, but he was skeptical. Quickly, he moved faster to escape the toxin filled area and get to a safer location. There he could examine himself to see if it perhaps changed or damaged the appeared of whatever breathed it in. That assumption was highly unlikely, but in this case anything went. It could even render him blind, or slowly dehydrate him until death. The fact he didn't know made him anxious. It would make anyone like that.

An unknown object got in the way of Pasche's path, and he mistakenly tripped over it. Tumbling to the ground, his hand accidentally broke away from his mouth leaving him exposed. A hiss left his lips and he noticed too late that he just wasted half of his remaining breath. Quickly he covered his mouth once again, muttering inaudibly about his mistake. When he looked behind to observe what he tripped over, the maroon haired child found it to be a leg. The leg of a man, more so, unconscious with said limb revealed out of the bush where the body was occupied. It was another applicant like him, but he didn't have time to spare right now, and resisted the urge to investigate.

'_Damn, damn, damn! I hardly have any more breath.'_

He thought loudly, toeless boots scrunching the leaves on the ground as he swiftly made his way in the forest to a clearer destination. The toxic mists began to lift from his sight, but it wasn't enough. Pasche felt his lungs burn for the need of oxygen, but he refused to give them that luxury at the cost it would kill him. Along the way, he noticed two other examinees on the ground, which raised his alertness on the situation.

Everything went downhill following the timeline he miraculously captured his target; the man-faced ape. With blood dripping from their hanging, and possibly broken jaw, Pasche took the opportunity to tie them up and restrict any form of movement. The idea was plausible because they weren't physically strong, but he hadn't expected what came after. What came from the fog was a creature that left him no choice but to retreat into the deeper part of the Numere Wetlands. His mentality screamed for him to run, but his capabilities led him to believe he could fight and win. No, that wasn't the case. He would have died by its claws for his recklessness. When he hesitated in battle, that's when his anxieties rose to the surface. What transpired afterwards was difficult to voice, for the reason he would have sounded like a coward who lost every fight in his life.

The magical beasts of the Swindler's Swamp ate his target in front of the boy and then charged after Pasche while he was left revolted by its actions. He narrowly missed being trapped by the creature and escaped, running for hours until the child's body couldn't hold out any longer. And now again, he was running for his life under new circumstances.

But it didn't last long.

Out of breath, Pasche couldn't hold the strain in his lungs. He gasped, panicking enough that he inhaled the mist in front of him and stumbled by mistake. No, it wasn't by mistake… he abruptly lost the feelings in his legs and could no longer stand. He rolled across the ground for a metre, but felt his body in the air suddenly, only to look down and find he fell off a cliff. As quickly as he could, Pasche flung his arm up and grabbed a tight hold of the edge, grunting when his body slammed into the rocks beneath the soil. Despite the pain he had more pressing matters to attend to. The boy felt his legs go numb while he ran, and only in that instant did he recognize what the mist's affects were.

It paralysed whoever breathed it in, while creatures gathered and ultimately preyed on their bodies.

The paralysis coursed through his body in erratic patterns, to his hips, face, and neck. Sapphire orbs gazed at the impending second those bandaged hands became numb and unable to move. And when they did, he inwardly yelled for his body to move as he so desired. To no avail did it listen, and his grip on the edge loosened.

That's when it happened; the second result of the toxins.

Suddenly he saw doubles of everything. They became incoherent to his vision, and Pasche attempted to shake his head and clear it. However the paralysis kept him still, with no control over his limbs. The hand gripping the cliff was becoming weak, and he knew if he fell now, he would die. He had to keep on moving though... he needed to pass this phase, to become a Hunter and then fulfill his goal.

Black dots gradually came into his vision, swarming from the corners and clouding what used to be a forest and obscure night sky. When darkness enveloped his senses, his vigorous eyes became blank, void of life. Anything that signified he had a soul of his own. Pasche's body slacked, and the hand holding onto his survival let go, plunging him into the depths of an endless abyss below. In that moment he lost consciousness, with the gales of wind lashing at his ears and curling around his form, he remembered one thing.

A voice.

The same voice that travelled through the maze, helping him reach the end. But it did not speak his name, nor did it help this time.

It merely hummed in the form of sweet entertainment.

* * *

**Sorry for the delays.**

**My writing isn't all that good right now, and it's been causing a problem for my motivation as well. But I wonder how Pasche if going to survive...**

**Will he? **

**See you next chapter. ;)**


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